In Thessaloniki, believer lies down in front of gay pride parade to stop it

The believer lay down in front of one of the platforms, forcing it to stop. Photo: Proto Thema

On June 20, 2026, the finale of the 14th Thessaloniki Pride festival was interrupted by an incident involving two people in monastic clothing, Proto Thema reports.

As the procession moved down the street, the men in cassocks began shouting, “Repent!” One of them suddenly lay down on the asphalt directly in front of a festive platform, holding a cross and an icon of the Most Holy Theotokos. As a result, the parade was temporarily stopped.

Police officers who arrived at the scene forcibly removed the protester from the roadway and took him to the station. Despite his clothing, Greek authorities officially stated that the man is not a cleric and has no connection to the Orthodox Church of Greece or its structures. After the believer’s detention, the march resumed and ended according to schedule.

Earlier, Christian groups and conservative organizations in Greece held mass demonstrations demanding that the authorities cancel the event because of its conflict with traditional values. On June 13, 2026, a mass rally against the law on same-sex marriage and LGBT propaganda in schools took place in Thessaloniki.

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